The Fulton is one of a number of historic – and fully operating – theaters in south-central Pennsylvania that offer backstage tours where one can step right into theatrical history. All within a few hours' drive from Philadelphia, they can provide an easy weekend getaway for theater history lovers.

Some theaters charge for tours (at the Fulton it is $7); others (like the Majestic in Gettysburg) offer tours free, while placing show bills into the hands of visitors who are encouraged to come back that evening as theatergoers.

For theater buffs (and for a former drama club president like myself), it is a heady experience to peek into stars' dressing rooms in gilded palaces that radiate theatrical magic in a way that modern performance spaces lack. And to pick up a few tricks of the trade.